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About this Newsletter Baby, It's Cold Outside
With the holidays approaching and the air outside growing colder, the little elves at the Point Taken offices have been busy spreading holiday cheer. And we think we've come up with a gift that is perfect for everyone: tips on how to raise your glass and make a special toast at your next holiday function.
Meeting Pointers: Home for the Holidays
From Uncle Joe's antics to Susy from IT's annoying habit of oversharing, there are a lot of things vying for your attention at holiday gatherings. The beginning of a toast is the time to catch everyone's attention. Try one of these tips to make the opening of your toast more engaging:
Fascinating factoid: Grab their interest by offering a surprising or relatively unknown fact or statistic to elicit thought or discussion on the relevance of your point.
Personal anecdote: Personalize your topic by offering a story from your personal or business experience.
Quotable quote: If you have a quote that pertains to your topic and offers a quirky or humorous viewpoint, consider using it to set the stage.
My Point Exactly: Tis the Season
When making a toast, remember: the act of raising your glass to say a few words is always done in the spirit of goodwill. Here are a few other items to consider when giving a toast at a holiday function.
Toasting is not for making fun: All stories used should be both appropriate and kind. We suggest using stories based on shared experiences or self-effacing comments that will not offend your audience. You want them to remember you for being a great host, friend or coworker, not the guy who made fun of them in front of everyone.
Toasting should be done sober: While a drink might calm your nerves, too many drinks will make your toast sloppy, and will end 2006 in personal humiliation instead of as a smashing success. So keep your drinking to a minimum before you toast the season, then feel free to indulge after.
Toasting should be practiced: Toasts that sound spontaneous rarely are. These moments can be both touching and humorous. Practice your major points to insure you get everyone rolling, or even bring tears to their eyes.
Happy Holidays to You!
Peace, Love and Point Taken
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